Barrel Rolling in Whitford

Teams from different pubs compete against one another to roll the barrels around a course in order to win the coveted Whitford trophy. Originally this would have been brewhouses competing not only for the strongest team but also the best ale. The main rules are to be fast and furious but without causing damage and without lifting the barrel. This really is an ale trail with a difference and the worthy winners imbibe the hops of their labour.

Cask ale used to be transported in oak barrels shaped to roll and steer into the Inn or Ale House and probably resulted in the idea of barrel-racing. By the 1960s lighter aluminium alloy barrels took the place of oak. Casks of varying sizes have different names, a pin holds 4.5 gallons or 36 pints, a firkin holds 9 gallons or 72 pints, a kilderkin 18 gallons or 144 pints, a barrel 36 gallons or 288 pints, a puncheon 72 gallons or 576 pints, a tun 216 gallons or 1728 pints, a hogshead 54 gallons or 432 pints and a butt 108 gallons equivalent to 864 pints. Today beers are kegged in stainless steel or aluminium with the standard being 11 gallons or 88 pints equivalent to 50 litres with smaller 30 litre-kegs for premium beers.